Device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof

ABSTRACT

A device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof including a housing having a source of heat connected to the roof with a blower in the housing and an outlet in the housing to which is connected a supply conduit. The supply conduit leads to a heated air conveying conduit for positioning at the edge of a roof.

United States Patent [1 1 Adamic [111 3,795,271 [45]" Mar.5, 1974 l l DEVICE FOR MELTING AND PREVENTING THE FORMATION OF ICE IN THE AREA OF THE EDGE OF A ROOF [76] Inventor: Anthony Adamic, 3618 E. 4th St.,

Duluth, Minn. 55804 [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 317,660

[51] Int. Cl. F24h 3/02 [58] Field of Search. 237/80, 50, 55, 81; l26/271.1; 165/47; 52/173, 219

[56] 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,691,343 9/1972 Norman 165/47 3,189,021 6/1965 Gigucrc l26/27l.l 3,563,227 2/1971 Rutcr l26/27l.l 3,248,133 4/1966 Michnol'f' l26/27l.l

Primary ExaminerWilliam Wayncr Assistant ExaminerW. E. Tapolcai, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wicks & Nemer 57 ABSTRACT A device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof including a hous- 'ing having a source of heat connected to the roof with a blower in the housing and an outlet in the housing to which is connected a supply conduit. The supply conduit leads to a heated air conveying conduit for positioning at the edge of a roof.

11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED SHEET 1 [IF 2 FORMATION OF ICE IN THE AREA OF THE EDGE OF A ROOF SUMMARY The invention relates to a device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in roof gutters and an area of the roof adjacent the gutter of a heated dwelling.

In northern climes where there is snowfall, snow falls and piles up on the roof. Heated air within the dwelling rises through the walls of the dwelling to the roof at points adjacent the edge of the roof and the gutters thereby melting the snow together with the action of the sun melting the snow. At night when the melting temperature drops the melted snow freezes. This process repeats and the area of ice formed successively increases in width toward the ridge of the roof. During the melting process the watercreeps under the shingles toward the ridge of the roof and penetrates into the dwelling thereby causing damage interally of the dwelling. With the present invention the formation of ice is inhibited and the abov e phenomenon substantially prohibited.

In' the drawings forming part'of this application:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for melting ice formed in and adjacent the gutters ofa dwelling embodying the invention and mounted on a dwelling.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1 with portions broken away.

FIG.-3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

I FIG. '4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through a roof showing an alternative form of the device.

FIG. 6 is an sectional view through a roof showing a further'embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an enclarged sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view ofa portion ofa roof with a further embodiment of the invention wherein the source of heat is addedand placed upon the roof with a heat directing conduit extended therefrom and a heat conveying conduit extended from the heat conduit at the area of the edge of the roof, portions thereof being broken away. I I

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a roof with an additional embodiment of the invention wherein the source of heat is positioned at the end of a gutter and the heat directed through a heat conveying conduit in the gutter, portions thereof being broken away.

Referring to thedrawings in detail, the device A includes the housing 10 which includes the top 12, the end walls 14 and 16, a first side wall 18, a second side wall 20, and a bottom 22. The bottom22 is formed with the inlet opening 24 on which is mounted the smoke pipe P extending from the top of the chimney C. Further provided is the first intermediate inner wall 26 secured within the housing formed with the opening 28 and mounted on the wall 26 at the opening is the downwardly directed hood 30 at a point over the inlet hole 24.

The numeral 32 designates a second inner wall secured within the housing to the walls thereof and dwelling,

2 spaced from the inner wall 26 and the end wall 14. A platform 33 is secured to the walls 32 and 14 and extends therebetween. A motor M is mounted on the platform 33 with the shaft 34 of the motor positioned on and through an opening in the wall 32. Mounted on the shaft 34 is the conventional squirrel cage type fan 36 which rotates between the walls 26 and 32. Formed in the lower portion of the side wall 18 is the outlet 38 opening which is in alignment with the fan 36, and formed in the lower portion side wall 22 is the outlet 40 in alignment with the fan 36 and the outlet 38. Louvers 41, 42 and 44 for admitting air into the housing are mounted on the walls 18, I4 and 22, respectively.

The top 12 of the housing is formed with the exhaust opening 46 over which is mounted the exhaust cap member 48. Secured to the wall 18 at the outlet 38 is the first heat supply conduit 50, and secured to the wall 20 at the outlet opening 40 is the. second heat supply conduit 52. The supply conduit 50 lays upon the roof R and extends to a point at the gutter G with an elbow 54 secured to the end thereof. Secured to the elbow 54 is the short piece of conduit extension 56 which extends downwardly into the gutter G. The gutter G has the conduit portion 58 formed on the bottom 60 of the gutter and the extension 56 extends into the conduit portion 58 through the hole 62 formed in the bottom 60. The conduit 52 lays on the roof portion Ra and connects with the gutter Ga in the same manner as the conduit 50.

The conduit portion 58 includes the bottom 64 from which extends the side walls 66 and 68 secured to the gutter walls 70 and 72 by means of the rivets 74.

A further conduit 76 is connected to the conduit 50 and connected to the gutter Gb in the same manner as the connection of conduit 50 with the gutter G. The housing 10 is levelled into position upon the chimney by means of the bolts 76 and secured to the pipe P.

The device is operated by operating the fan 36 which draws heated air from the stack P and directs it out the outlets 38 and 40 to and down the conduits 50, 52 and 76 where it travels outwardly throughout the conduits such as 58 to melt ice formed in the gutter and in the vicinity thereof on the roof. The water collects in the gutter and that which does not evaporate runs down the gutter to the downspouts D.

In FIG. 5 is a further embodiment wherein the conduit is not part of the gutter and which includes the conduit 78 which is simply positioned on the bottom of a conventional gutter with the extension 56 extended into the opening 80 of the conduit.

In FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the invention wherein the heat supply conduit such as 50 is. shown as 50a which extends into and is'positioned and supported internally in the attic ofa dwelling. The lower end of the supply conduit 50a extends outwardly of the wall of the as in FIG. 6 and 7, and is connected to and communicates with the conduit 82 formed as part of the gutter Gc. The gutter Gc includes the double wall 84 which communicates with the heat conveying conduit 82 which in turn communicates with the double wall 86.

In FIG. 8 is a still further embodiment of the invention wherein is found the heat conveying conduit 86 formed with the flange 88 which is secured to a roof under the shingles S with the conduit 86 adjacent the lower edges of the lower row of shingles. A conduit such as 50 may be provided which enters the conduit 86 at the top wall as in FIG. 8. Alternatively a conduit such as 50a may be used which enters the inner or bottom wall of the conduit 86. The conduit 86 is used where there is no gutter at the edge of the roof and the heat in the conduit melts ice formed at and adjacent the edge of the roof. The water so formed evaporates or runs off the conduit 86 to the ground. The ends of the conduits such as G have a small opening at the end thereof to allow full flow of heated air and prevent back pressures in the conduits. Mounted in the conduit 86 is the conventional charcoal filter F which collects air pollutants issuing from the stack P. A section through a similar filter F is shown in FIG. 4.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 discloses a device for use in a situation where the house is heated by electricity and there is no furnace stack extending from the from the roof as in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. A conventional electric heater and blower is mounted in the housing H mounted on the ridge of the roof Rb with the heat supply conduit SOb leading from the housing H to the heat conveyingconduit 78a via the extension elbow 56b. The conduit 78a is positioned in the bottom of the gutter Oh.

The embodiment of FIG. discloses a device for use in connection with a single problem gutter Gd or in a situation, for example, where a supply conduit run from the source of heat such as in FIGS. l-3 or FIG. 9 would be too long for adequate heat conductance. In FIG. 10 is found a housing Ha which is mounted on the end of the gutter Gd which is connected to the edge of the roof Rd. The housing Ha has mounted therein a conventional electric heater and blower and connected to an outlet thereof is the heat conveying conduit 780 which is positioned on the bottom of the gutter Gd.

I claim: 1. Device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof, comprising:

a. means for collecting heated air issuing from the top of a chimney, including a housing b. means for directing heated air from said collecting means and c. heat conveying elongated hollow means positioned adjacent the edge of a roof and connected to said heat directing means. 2. The device of claim 1 in which said means for directing heated air includes a blower in said housing.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said heat directing means includes a. an outlet formed in said housing and b. a supply conduit connected to said outlet and said heat conveying elongated hollow means.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said heat conveying elongated hollow means is positioned at the bottom of a roof gutter.

5. The device of claim 4 in which a. said heat conveying elongated hollow means is integral with a gutter.

6. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means includes a blower in said housing.

7. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means includes a. a housing, and

b. a blower in said housing.

8. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means-includes:

a. a housing having b. an outlet, and

c. a heated air supply conduit connected to said outlet and said heated air conveying elongated hollow means.

9. The device of claim I in which said heated air con veying elongated hollow means is adapted to be positioned at the bottom of a gutter.

10. Device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof comprising:

a. a housing connected to said roof b. said housing including a source of heat,

c. means for sending forth a forcible current of air mounted in said housing,

(1. hollow means for directing the heated air from said housing and communicating with said means for sending forth a forcible current of air, and

e. a heat conveying elongated hollow conduit positioned adjacent the edge ofa roof and in fluid communication with said hollow means for directing the heated air.

11. The device of claim 10 in which said source of heat and said means for directing the heated air are connected to the roof at the lower outer edge. 

1. Device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof, comprising: a. means for collecting heated air issuing from the top of a chimney, including a housing b. means for directing heated air from said collecting means and c. heat conveying elongated hollow means positioned adjacent the edge of a roof and connected to said heat directing means.
 2. The device of claim 1 in which said means for directing heated air includes a blower in said housing.
 3. The device of claim 2 in which said heat directing means includes a. an outlet formed in said housing and b. a supply conduit connected to said outlet and said heat conveying elongated hollow means.
 4. The device of claim 3 in which said heat conveying elongated hollow means is positioned at the bottom of a roof gutter.
 5. The device of claim 4 in which a. said heat conveying elongated hollow means is integral with a gutter.
 6. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means includes a blower in said housing.
 7. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means includes a. a housing, and b. a blower in said housing.
 8. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air directing means includes: a. a housing having b. an outlet, and c. a heated air supply conduit connected to said outlet and said heated air conveying elongated hollow means.
 9. The device of claim 1 in which said heated air conveying elongated hollow means is adapted to be positioned at the bottom of a gutter.
 10. Device for melting and preventing the formation of ice in the area of the edge of a roof comprising: a. a housing connected to said roof b. said housing including a source of heat, c. means for sending forth a forcible current of air mounted in said housing, d. hollow means for directing the heated air from said housing and communicating with said means for sending forth a forcible current of air, and e. a heat conveying elongated hollow conduit positioned adjacent the edge of a roof and in fluid communication with said hollow means for directing the heated air.
 11. The device of claim 10 in which said source of heat and said means for directing the heated air are connected to the roof at the lower outer edge. 